The Bhaktivedanta Academy

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a facility for the members to study, practice, and disseminate the teachings of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, along with corollary studies of the standard works of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava ācāryas in the line of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the branches of Vedic philosophy, culture, and science in the context of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings.

Sri Rupanuga Paramarthika Vidyapitha

Çré Rüpänuga Paramärthika Vidyäpéöha is one of the colleges of the Bhaktivedanta Academy’s Adult Education faculty. It has two departments 1. Bhaktivedanta Theological Seminary & 2. Yajna & Deity-worship

1. Bhaktivedanta Theological Seminary

The theological Seminary strives to educate students in all aspects of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Siddhānta so that they are able to effectively establish and propagate the pre-eminence of Lord Caitanya’s philosophy and the teachings of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Special emphasis is given to realization through practical application of this knowledge (nidhidhyāsana). Furthermore, the Seminary endeavors to assist students in developing their ability to view the sastra through the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas (sastra-caksusa) with emphasis on the principles of sambandha, abhideya and prayojana and to apply this vision in all aspects of life.

2. Yajna & Deity-worship

Yajna & Deity-worship aims at training devotees in the aspects of performing fire sacrifice (yajna) and the procedure of deity-worship (arcana-vidhi). Srila Prabhupada describes the importance of deity-worship as follows:

Simple theoretical book knowledge is not sufficient for a neophyte devotee. Book knowledge is theoretical, whereas the arcana process is practical. Spiritual knowledge must be developed by a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, and that is the guaranteed way for attainment of spiritual perfection. The training of devotional service for a neophyte devotee completely depends on the expert spiritual master who knows how to lead his disciple to make gradual progress towards the path back home, back to Godhead... Sri-vigraha is the arcä, or suitable worshipable form of the Lord, and the disciple should be engaged in worshiping the Deity regularly by srngara, by proper decoration and dressing, as also by mandira-märjana, the matter of cleansing the temple. The spiritual master teaches the neophyte devotee all these kindly and personally to help him gradually in the realization of the transcendental name, quality, form, etc., of the Lord. (SB 2.3.22 purport)

Gaudiya Vaisnava Yajna-paddhati

The Yajna-paddhati course is based on the Sat-kriya sara-dipika of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami which gives detailed descriptions of the rituals for the performance of fire sacrifices and samskaras according to the Vaisnava smrti. Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami states the purpose of this book in the opening verse:

"Offering obeisances to Lord Sri Krsna, who is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, is worshipped by the whole world, the controller of the universe, situated in supreme bliss, and the bestower of the desired goal to the unalloyed devotees, I, Gopala Bhatta, receiving the order from saintly, exalted devotees, present a manual on vedic samskaras called "Sat Kriya Sara Dipika". By this, the householders within the varnasrama system (brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras) and those outside the varnasrama system (candalas, mlecchas, yavanas etc.) can maintain the principles of Vaisnava teachings. In presenting this, I have always kept in mind the supreme position of devotional service.

The principles of Yajna Vidhi as presented in this book are the standards for Deity installations, festivals and Samskaras designed for the Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

The detailed procedure of Deity installation and the related samskaras taught by the Gaudiya acaryas are compiled as a separate book named “Pratistha-vidhi”

Upon the request of many Vaisnavas, who are eager to learn and apply the principles of Yajna Vidhi in the service of the Supreme Lord, we are compelled to design this pilot course. We seek blessings of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Panchatattva, Sri Narasimhadev, Srila Prabhupada and all the Vaisnavas, so that our attempt to teach this course will be favorable in bringing the devotee community closer together and nearer to the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna.

Course Structure & Content

The course will have three aspects:

1. Mantra class: The basic yajna mantras used for samskaras.

2. Philosophy class on Yajna: The purpose of various rituals and mantras used for the yajna, as detailed in Sat-kriya-sara-dipika.

3. Yajna performance: Practical demonstration of the different samskara yajnas.

There will be four classes in a day, each about 45min, consisting of two mantra classes, one philosophy class and one yajna-peformance class.

Morning: Mantra class followed by philosophy class

Afternoon: Yajna performance followed by Mantra class

Faculty

Teaching Faculty: HG Krsna Chaitanya Dasa supported by HG Narottama Vilasa Dasa and Vedanta Dasa

Co-ordinator: HG Haladhara Nitai Dasa.

Batches Schedule

Batch 1 - 6 Registration closed

Batch 7 Registration will begin from January 1st 2025
Timings & Duration

The course duration is two months. The classes are scheduled on

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays

Morning: 7.30am to 9am; Afternoon: 4pm to 5.30pm [subjected to change in winter].

Venue

Sri Rupanuga Paramarthika Vidyapitha, BA adult campus, before Shruti Bhavan.

Qualification

Second initiation male devotees (Brahmana-diksa);

Recommendation by his local temple authority

Registration

Course Registration and Agreement form should be duly filled and submitted to the course coordinator before the commencement of the course. The course registration fee is Rs 10000 which include yajna paddhati book manual which will be given to the students at the commencement of the course.

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